


frequent visits

by tellmewhatyousee



Series: Writer's Month 2020 [29]
Category: One Piece
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Gen, Law is a school nurse, Writer's Month 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-26
Updated: 2020-08-26
Packaged: 2021-03-07 01:41:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 801
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26128963
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tellmewhatyousee/pseuds/tellmewhatyousee
Summary: The first time the kid showed up at the nurse’s office was on the very first day of school.That was the first of many visits over the next four years.Writer's Month Prompt #29: high school au.
Relationships: Tony Tony Chopper & Trafalgar D. Water Law
Series: Writer's Month 2020 [29]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1894669
Comments: 12
Kudos: 53
Collections: Writer's Month 2020, tellmewhatyousee's Personal Faves





	frequent visits

**Author's Note:**

> i was really struggling with this particular prompt because i was originally aiming for something shippy but then i got this idea and now i'm in love with the concept

The first time the kid showed up at the nurse’s office was on the very first day of school. He was a freshman then, practically bursting with nervous energy, which was more than likely the cause of the stomachache he reported. Law gave him some crackers and told him to lie down, and before he could turn around to continue his paperwork, the kid started asking as many medical questions as he could think of.

That was the first of many visits over the next four years.

Everyone called him ‘Chopper,’ and Law still wasn’t entirely sure why. He hadn’t even bothered to learn the kid’s real name, only recalling it when he had to look at his medical records. Chopper showed up at least once a week, usually with a similar complaint— though, as weeks turned into months, and he became more comfortable at school, he’d sort of just… show up. He’d walk into the office and sit right down in the chair in front of Law’s desk, reading through the pamphlets and the posters on the wall.

After a while, Law didn’t even question it. Chopper wasn’t being disruptive, and he’d never interrupt if Law was treating another student. He’d just sit there and read, waiting until Law didn’t look busy to ask any questions he might have.

He covered a pretty wide range of topics— common illnesses, basic anatomy, different types of medicine and their uses. One day, when he ditched a particularly important health class, Law lectured him about the dangers of STIs in the most deadpan voice possible. He was, admittedly, surprised that Chopper listened intently instead of giggling about it like the other kids would.

* * *

After over two years of visits, Law was really starting to grow fond of Chopper. He’d never really had someone to _teach_ before, and while Law stressed the fact that he wasn’t some all-knowing medical resource, Chopper really seemed to be picking up on it.

It was only during his junior year, near the end of the day on a Friday, that Chopper asked anything resembling a personal question.

“Why did you pick a career in medicine?” 

Law looked up from his desk to where Chopper was sitting. The kid hadn’t done much reading during that visit, mostly just scrolling through his phone while he spun around in his chair.

“I guess I hadn’t considered much else,” Law replied with a shrug. “Both of my parents were doctors. I wanted to do something similar.”

Chopper nodded, and seemed to think about it before he asked, “Why a school nurse, specifically?”

For a moment, Law hesitated. Was there really any point in sugarcoating it? He didn’t think so. “This... wasn’t my first choice, to be honest,” he said. “I respect the job, of course. Nurses do a lot of good work. But I think I’d like to become a surgeon someday.”

Chopper gasped. He’d put his phone away by then, and was leaning forward in his seat while he listened. “That sounds really cool,” he said.

“You think so?” Law asked, his eyebrows raised. “Medical school is expensive. I really want to be sure about it before I commit to anything like that.”

“That’s true!” Chopper replied with a nod. “All anyone ever talks about lately is college. Even the other kids. It’s kind of exhausting after a while.”

“Oh, yes, I remember all that,” Law said with a sigh. “That’ll be the next few years of your life, so you might want to get used to it now.”

Chopper hummed. “Well, at least I know what I wanna do!”

“Oh?” Law raised an eyebrow. “And what’s that?”

“I wanna be a family doctor!” Chopper replied. “I wasn’t really sure, at first. I was thinking about being a surgeon, too. But after spending so much time here, I think… I’d like it a lot better. I wanna help all kinds of people with all sorts of things!”

Law cracked a smile, one of the few Chopper had seen in their time together. “I could definitely see you doing something like that,” he said. “If you… need any help looking for schools, or anything like that, you know where to find me.”

Just as Chopper opened his mouth to speak, the bell rang. “I’ll keep that in mind!” he said as he stood and grabbed his backpack. “Thanks, Traffy!”

* * *

When the time came, Law gladly wrote Chopper a letter of recommendation for his school of choice. He only had good things to say about the kid, about his inquisitiveness and his caring nature. And as he watched Chopper walk at graduation, he knew he had a promising career ahead of him.

Years later, when Law finally made up his mind and went back to school, he encountered a familiar face on campus.


End file.
